The invention relates to a releasable clamping-type compressive joint the compressive joint is made between on the one hand a continuous extruded section having at least one longitudinal opening that features a groove undercut on both sides running in the longitudinal direction and on the other hand a component having of at least one clamping plate that can be introduced into the groove from the front and turned with a securing bolt, said plates/plate engaging with the extrusion flanges forming the undercut part of the groove, and such that on tightening the securing bolt the continuous section is to some extent deformed by the securing plate/plates. Further, the invention relates to a process for connecting a continuous, extruded section to a component.
Clamping-type compressive joints such as mentioned above are used mainly in vehicle and building construction. The clamping plate which is turned by the securing bolt and engages with the inner wall of the groove also serves the particular purpose of preventing the said component from being displaced in the longitudinal direction of the section. Solutions have been sought therefore in which the frictional locking is complimented or replaced by configurational locking.
The European patent document EP-AP No. 0136264 describes a joint for extrusions, in particular a corner joint between extruded rods in which clamping plates are provided with teeth. On positioning the corner connecting piece, the clamping plate engages in the groove which features undercut parts on both sides of its cross-section. By tightening the securing bolt the teeth of the clamping plate can to a certain extent be pressed into the material of the extrusion. The result is a mixed frictional and configurational locking action.
The British patent No. GB-PS 1503588 describes a joint used in the building industry, the said joint being a corner type joint. The grooves for introducing the clamping plate are essentially C-shaped with two flanges lying on one plane and two flanges bent over at right angles and running in the direction of the groove interior. The second two flanges are deformable. This deformation is achieved as a result of the clamping plate featuring on both sides at least one wedge and the corner joint a corresponding number of cone-shaped recesses. That solution requires a thin-walled extrusion having uniform material thickness in cross-section as, otherwise, it is not possible to achieve the necessary compression and shaping force with a bolt. The wedge-cone principle employed produces displacement of material at a point. It is difficult to see how this principle should work in practice. After its introduction into the longitudinal groove the plate has to be turned 90%; there is no face to act as a stop in the final position.
The object of the present invention is to develop a compressive joint which is not limited to thin-walled sections of uniform cross-sectional wall thickness and which, apart from the clamping action, also ensures mechanical, configurational locking action in all three directions in particular in the longitudinal direction of the extruded section making additional welding, bolting, rivetting or boring superfluous. A further object is a process for releasably connecting the extrusions.